Heating device



June 25, 1968 J. D. LOWENFISH 3,390,251

HEATING DEVICE Fi led Oct. 22, 1965 i .1. l-Z T 3 i 2 16 INVENTOR.

dos/we D. lowavnsfl United States Patent 3,390,251 HEATING DEVICE Joshua D. Lowenfish, New York, N.Y. (23 Lawrence Park Crescent, Bronxville, NY. 10708) Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,172 8 Claims. (Cl. 219-213) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A heating and ventilating device of collapsible screen construction for mounting in an exterior window or glazed door frame including hollow, collapsible, tiltable slats to form an adjustable screen construction with electrical heating means and heat and electrical insulation in the individual slats, adjusting means for moving and tilting the slats to provide controlled thermal insulation at the exterior window or door opening for the room as Well as a convection heating source when the electrical heating means in selected slats is energized by a low current potential from a high potential source.

This invention relates to a heating and insulating device. More particularly, this invention relates to a heating and insulating device which is fastened to a sofiit of a window opening. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a heating and insulating device which is adapted to supply the sole heatin source for an enclosed space while also serving to control exterior light and temperature.

In the construction industry, costs have been rising over the years. In an effort to mitigate this problem, research in new materials and methods of construction are being conducted. These eflr'orts have included better insulation of walls and windows, resulting in a reduction of initial cost of heating plants and subsequent cost of generating heat. However, the heat generating plants heretofore used retain a relatively high construction and installation cost. Also, the window insulation improvements heretofore used have not been too effective, because un-.

heated glass areas of windows cause the greatest cold transfer, thus making the present heating systems of buildings inefiicient and costly to operate. Thus, while it is known that glass is the weakest link in wall insulation, there has been no effective or economical solution to the problem.

Heretofore, it has been known to provide a window frame with a multiple glass sheet glazing unit with one or more intermediate electrically conductive panels or films for preventing condensation upon the glass in the glazed openings. It has also been known to provide a heating and ventilating device having a frame with a plurality of electrically heated pivotally mounted louvers in a window frame for changing the heating conditions in various parts of a room. However, none of these devices has effectively solved the problem of reducing construction and maintenance costs from an economical or practical standpoint.

It is therefore an object of this invention to position a heating and insulating device at the most vulnerable places of heat transfer of an enclosed space, namely at the glass areas.

It is another object of .this invention to provide a heating and insulating device which effectively reduces the cost of heating.

It is another object of this invention to provide a heating and insulating device which obviates the need for heat generating plants and chimney stacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a heat- "ice ing and insulating device which is adapted to be fastened in a soffit of a window opening.

It is another object of this invention to provide a heating and insulating device which also controls the amount of exterior light and heat or cold to an enclosed space.

It is another object of this invention to provide a heating and insulating device which substantially eliminates condensation on glass areas of an enclosed space.

It is another object of this invention to provide a heating and insulating device with replaceable parts.

It is another object of this invention to provide a heating and insulating device which is electrically operated.

Generally, the invention provides a heating and insulating device which is of a collapsible screen construction similar to a Venetian blind structure. The heating and insulating device comprises a housing portion of metal or plastic construction and a screen portion which is collapsible with respect to the housing portion either in a vertical or horizontal direction. The housing portion includes a step-down or variable voltage transformer for transforming a high potential input current from a current supply source to a low potential output current and a screen gear mechanism for controlling the movements of the screen portion. The screen portion includes a series of removable slats having electrically conductive heating elements therein, first means actuated through the screen gear mechanism moving the slats relative to the housing portion, second means actuated through the screen gear mechanism for tilting the slats on their respective axes and means for conducting the low potential output current of the transformer to the electrically conductive heating elements in the slats.

When in use, the heating device is fastened to a soffit of a window opening of an enclosed space, such as a room unit of a building or a vehicle, with the slats of the screen portion extended to cover a substantial area of the window frame and the step-down transformer is connected to a current supply source, such as is found in any building of conventional structure, which delivers an electric current at a high potential. Upon actuation of the heating device, the transformer directs the current into the heating elements of the slats through the conducting means therebetween. The heat energy which is given off by the heating elements is radiated through the slats into the interior of the enclosed space.

The heating device can be regulated by a suitable thermostat or multi-position adjustable switch so as to maintain a desired temperature within a room while also substantially eliminating condensation. In addition, by properly extending the screen portion and manipulating the tilt angle of the slats, the amount of exterior light and heat or cold admitted into the enclosed space can be controlled. Thus, since the heating device is constructed to generate sufficient heat to properly heat a room, it can either replace entirely the conventional heat generating plants including their chimneys and boilers which have been used heretofore in building construction or augment the heating capacity of these heat generating plants upon expansion of the structures containing them without alteration.

Because of the simplicity of construction, the heating and insulating device can be placed on the inside of a Window opening or a glazed door opening, in between double glazed windows or doors, in buildings or moving vehicles, between a window and storm sash, and used in conjunction with conventional glass or acrylic glass. Further, the heating device not only is easily mounted in place but also is subject to easy replacement. The slats of the heating device are also easily removed for replacement or for adjusting the amount of heat required, for

example, in areas of mild climate, where the need for heating is slight, only a few slats of the screen portion need have electrically conductive heating elements.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of a heating device of the invention in place over a window of a room unit in a build- 111g;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the heating device taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view taken at line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a slat of the heating device in situ.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a heating device 6 is mounted on the interior or room side of a window opening 7 of a room wall 8. The window opening 7 houses a window 9 of any suitable conventional structure as well as an electrical outlet 10, such as, a conventional plugin type. The outlet 10 may, however, be located in the wall 8 at any suitable location. A thermostat control 11 is interposed in the electric surrent supply line of the outlet 10 for sensing the temperature of the room and for controlling the operation of the heating device 6 in response thereto. A switch 12 of any suitable type, such as, a manual off-on switch, is also interposed in the current supply line of the outlet 10 for controlling the on-off actuation of the heating device.

The heating device has a housing portion 13 which includes a transformer 14 which is connected to the outlet 10 by any suitable means, such as, a plug 15 and which is positioned within the housing portion 13 in a minimum of space and at a location to conveniently supply the output current to the remainder of the heating device. The transformer 14 is of any suitable type which reduces the high potential input current of the electric current supply line of the room to a low potential output current while maintaining the generated heat below 95 P. so as to avoid any danger of burns. In addition, the transformer is of a construction which not only avoids the possibility of shock but also simplifies the :problem of insulating the remainder of the heating device. The housing portion 13 also includes a screen gear mechanism 16 which is of conventional structure and is therefore not further illustrated in the drawings or further described herein.

The heating device 6 also has a screen portion 17 which is operably connected to the housing portion 13. The screen portion 17 includes a series of horizontally mounted and vertically aligned elongated hollow slats 18 of any suitable reflective metal or plastic material. The slats 18 may be of any suitable shape, such as, a diamond shape, which allows the screen portion to be collapsed in a minimum of space. Each of the slats 18 rests on at least a pair of suitable laminated strip supports 19, each of which is connected at the respective ends thereof to a strap means 20 of any suitable material, such as, plastic, which depends from the housing portion 13 on opposed sides of the slats 18 and which is actuated through the screen gear mechanism 16 'by a suitable string 21. The strap means 20 is actuated through the screen gear mechanism 16 for tilting the slats 18 on their respective longitudinal axes substantially 180 to control the amount of exterior light and heat or cold admitted to the room. The strap means 20 can be made in one continuous laminated strip or in a pair of c-o-operable laminated strips. Further, the screen portion 17 includes a cord means 22 which passes through suitable apertures 23 in the aligned slats 18 and which is secured to a suitable bar means 24 at the lower end of the heating device 6. The cord means 22 is actuated through the screen gear mechanism 16 by pulling on the cord portion 22a in the conventional manner for moving the slats 1-8 vertically in relation to the housing por- 4 tion 13 to further control the amount of light admitted into the room.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each slat 18 is provided internally with an electrically conductive heating element 25 which is supplied with electric current from the transformer 14 through an electric circuit means 26 and which is contained within an insulation blanket 27, such as, felt, which substantially fills the interior of the slat to increase the conductance of heat therethrough. The circuit means 26 includes a pair of power wires 28 which extend from the transformer down one of the strap means 20 between the laminations thereof and which connect with pairs of conducting wires 29, each pair of which is located between the laminations of a laminated support strip in a series of vertically aligned support strips 19. Each pair of conducting wires 29 is connected to a contact 30 of an insulated contact means 31 secured on a respective support strip 19. Each contact 30 conducts the current through a suitably insulated bushing 32 in each slat 18 to the heating element 25. The heating elements 25 are formed of a conventional type wherein two wires are embedded therein for conducting current into and out of the elements at the same end. Thus, a complete circuit is formed by the respective pairs of wires in the strap means, support strip and heating element.

The wires 29 on the strips 19 are connected in parallel manner to the power wires 28 so that a short in one slat will not affect the heating elements in the remaining slats. Further, the heating elements 25 which can be of any suitable shape and cross-section are arranged to contact the contacts 30 at suitable points to obtain a substantially uniform heat distribution. It is also noted that each slat can be provided with more than one heating element (see FIG. 3) each of which is activated by an independent circuit means cooperating with one of a plurality of strap means 20 so that if one of the circuits is shorted out, only a portion of the slats will be without heat. It is also noted that if there is a short in such an arrangement, the portion of the slats with the deactivated heating element will still receive some heat from the remaining heating elements therein.

When the hollow slats of the heating and insulating device are tilted on their respective axes by the strap means 20, they will present a larger surface area to the interior of the room with a consequent increase in the heat delivered into the room, also since a larger insulated surface area is simultaneously presented to the exterior of the room, the exterior cold will be prevented from entering. Further, each slat is provided with a series of appropriately spaced serpentine slots 33 which cooperate with the cord means 22 to retain the slats in position in the screen portion, These slots 33 are shaped to facilitate insertion and removal of the slats 18 into and from the screen portion 17. In addition, the slats can also be easily removed from and replaced in the heating device after the cord means 22 has been pulled from within the slats without destroying the circuitry of the device.

The heating device has been illustrated in a form similar to the conventional Venetian blind; however, it is noted that the heating device may take the form of any suitable collapsible structure in either a vertical or horizontal plane.

Having thus described the invention, it is not intende that it be so limited as changes may be readily made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the subject matter described above and shown in the drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A heating and ventilating device of collapsible screen construction for mounting in an exterior window or door frame comprising a housing portion including means for transforming high potential input current to a low potential output current, a collapsible screen portion operably connected to said housing portion, said collapsible screen portion including a series of removable hollow slats, each of said slats having at least one electrically conductive heating element therein, combined means for conducting the output current to each ofsaid heating elements in said slats and for moving and tilting each of said slats on the respective axis thereof,- said last-named means including at least a pair of spaced laminated strap means depending from said housing portion on opposed sides of said series of slats and a plurality of laminated support strips connected at the respective ends thereof to oppose surfaces of each of said strap means, at least a pair of said support strips supporting one of said slats thereon whereby said slats are tilted upon movement of said strap means relative to said housing portion.

2. A heating and ventilating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said series of removable slats are horizontally disposed with their ends in vertical alignment with respect to said housing portion.

3. A heating and ventilating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said slats is hollow and includes an insulation blanket therein which substantially fills the interior thereof for heat insulation from the outside in hot weather and for prevention of escape of heat from the interior in cold weather.

4. A heating and ventilating device as set forth in claim 1 in which each slat is hollow and contains at least one electrical heating element and heat and insulation filling the hollow spaces in each slat to provide natural insulation from the outside in hot weather as Well as electrical insulation for preventing of transfer of cold from the outside.

5. A heating and insulating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said slats includes at least one insulated bushing contacting each of said heating elements, and said circuit means includes an insulated contact means on each of said support strips, each of said contact means having a contact in current conducting contact with a respective one of said bushings whereby said heating elements are uniformly heated.

6. A heating and insulating device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said circuit means further includes power wires between the laminations of said laminated strap in contact with lead wires between the lamin-ations of said laminated support strips for conducting current to said contacts.

7. A heating and insulating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said slats has a series of spaced serpentine slots cooperating with said combined means for retaining said slats in their inserted position in said screen portion.

8. A heating and insulating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said combined means includes a cord means passing through each of said slats and a bar means secured to said cord means at the lower end of the heating device whereby said slats are moved upon movement of said bar means relative to said housing portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,149,481 3/1939 Van Bosch et a1. -176 x 2,509,677 5/1950 Edmonds 160-173 2,795,683 6/1957 Teiger 219 213 x 2,971,073 2/1951 Eisler 219-345 x 3,048,375 8/1962 Walker 160-236 x 3,141,954 7/1964 Simon 160-166 x FOREIGN PATENTS 7,778 6/1885 Great Britain.

RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

C. L. ALBRITI'ON, Assistant Examiner. 

